A man was shot in the Madibeng municipality’s offices on Thursday after a meeting was disrupted by a group of men armed with axe handles and a firearm.

A 39-year-old man was shot in the thigh when people tried to disarm the shooter.

A 39-year-old man was shot in the thigh when people tried to disarm the shooter.
According to police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh, the Madibeng Black Business Chamber was in a meeting with municipal management at 15:30 on the sixth floor of the municipal building in Van Velden Street when a group of men, armed with axe handles arrived in a vehicle at the offices.
The group of men invaded the boardroom where the meeting was held and disrupted the meeting. “Members of the Madibeng Black Business Chamber, who were waiting outside, were contacted and they went in to assist their executive members in the boardroom. They allegedly disarmed and removed the group that disrupted the meeting and then stood watch at the elevator to allow the meeting to continue,” she said.
Two men, armed with a firearm arrived in the elevator and went into boardroom. “The man, in possession of the firearm, was confronted and disarmed, but during the confrontation, he shot a 39-year-old man in the left thigh. The suspect was restrained, but his firearm fell on the floor and was grabbed by another person who ran out of the building.”
Two suspects, aged 36 and 29, were arrested by the police and a pistol and ammunition were seized.
The wounded man was taken to a local hospital by a friend where he was treated and released.
The Madibeng municipality said on Friday that it condemns the acts of violence “in the strongest terms”.
“Two groups of people clashed on the sixth floor of the building where management and the political leadership of the municipality were having a meeting with representatives of the business chamber. The municipality wishes to state that the violence was not directed at any employee or councillor of the municipality, but was the result of a clash between two groups,” said municipal spokesperson, Tumelo Tshabalala.
“The matter was reported to the South African Police Services who attended to the scene. The municipality has full confidence in our law enforcement agencies that those found in the wrong will face the full might of the law. The municipality wishes to assure employees and members of the public that the building is safe.”
He said security has been beefed up on Friday morning. “The municipality will assess the state of security in its buildings and will put measures in place in order to prevent incidents of this nature from happening again.”